By Emre Asikci
IZMIR (AA) - Elia Viviani secured a thrilling victory in Stage 7 of the 60th Presidential Cycling Tour of Türkiye on Saturday, marking his first stage win in the event since 2014.
The 36-year-old Italian rider from Team Lotto triumphed in the 144.2-kilometer (89-mile) Selcuk–Cesme route in the Aegean province of Izmir, clocking a time of 3 hours, 22 minutes, and 4 seconds. He finished ahead of Norway's Alexander Kristoff in second place and fellow Italian Davide Persico in third.
Viviani’s last stage win in the Tour of Türkiye came exactly 11 years ago, during the Marmaris–Bodrum stage of the 50th edition on May 2, 2014.
Wout Poels of the XDS Astana Team retained the overall general classification (GC) lead with a cumulative time of 21 hours, 21 minutes, and 26 seconds, wearing the prestigious turquoise jersey. The Dutch cyclist earlier powered to a victory in Stage 4, known as the "Queen Stage" for its challenging climbs.
Meanwhile, Stage 5 of the tour, scheduled from Marmaris to Aydin, was canceled earlier in the week due to adverse weather conditions and heavy rain, prioritizing the safety of the riders.
The eight-day race, which began in Antalya on April 27, concludes on Sunday with the final stage from Cesme to Izmir. Cyclists have covered a total distance of 1,153 kilometers (716 miles), passing through scenic Turkish tourism hubs including Kemer, Kalkan, Fethiye, Marmaris, Akyaka, Aydin, Kusadasi, and Selcuk.